La Portrait de la Bêast
by Dustal Gray
Summary: The adorible, innocent petite Cossette has found herself at the mercy of a Beast, who lives in a castle filled spirits residing in things...  Who will save the girl? Or does she need to be saved? Either way, someone has to pay for their sins.  Rated M
1. Chapter 1

7/28/10

...

Winter Wonderland

...

The horses moved slowly along the dark, worn path, their sides cloaked in sweat, their ears flicking towards every sound that broke the silence of the snowy forest- a bird taking flight, or a squirrel making a mad dash for its den. The large carriage wavered on its wheels on every uneven turn or sudden rock which seemed to rise out of the earth at a dangerous angle. One of the horses tripped on such a rock and lunged forward in panic, waking the single passanger inside.

Lifting her blonde head, the passanger brought her blue-eyed gaze to the black and white forest outside; the snow spotted the trees' bark and surrounded them in a white, frozen sea. The wind blew, making a soft whistling sound, which turned more into a howl as it gained speed.

The wind shook the carriage- inside, the girl looked down into her lap, folding her white-gloved hands against her red dress.

The man on the coach-seat swatted the horses as their progress slowed. The sad horses' breath came out in thick puffs of mist, their backs rippling against the sting of the whip as every step became more and more painful; small rocks had wedged into their feet, and the icey road sent their legs spassing in effort to regain warmth. The whip came down with more strength behind it, slicing into the horses' backs. One of them whickered in shock, as if wakened, and quickened its pace, forcing its companion to speed up as well.

"Get a move on!" said the coach-man loudly to the horses. The wind nipped at his exposed wrists with stuck out since the gloves he wore were too small, and his coat-sleeves were too loose. The scarf around his neck was tugged at by the wind, and the man grabbed it with one hand and tied it more tightly around his neck. He let out a few coughs as his lungs sucked in the freezing air. To the passanger inside, he called out, "We're amost there, Miss d'Auvergne! Mister Orlando's house is not much farther!" To the horses: "Go!"

The little blonde-haired girl continued to stare at her hands, her fingers lacing and unlacing together. "We will not make there..." she said quietly, as if to herself. "The horses are too tired." A cold-chill passed through her body, making her shiver. Loudly, leaning up in her seat, she said, "We need to stop somewhere! I'm cold, and the horses are sad."

"What was that?" the coach-man yelled over the wind. He swatted the horses again.

The snow started to fall more heavily.

Looking up at the sky, the man didn't notice the horses ears flick backwards, their eyes widen as their nostrils absorbed the heavy scent of danger.

The girl's eyes widened in horror as she looked out the carriage window and saw four shapes emerging from the forests, their hot, hungry breath bleeding beautifully into the air. She recognized them as wolves.

Pointing a thin finger at the window, the girl screamed. "Wolves!"

The coach-driver looked over and- before he could react- was knocked off of his seat by a low-hanging branch as the horses began to run. The man slid across the roof of the carriage before hitting the solid ground, his body rolling a few feet before coming to a complete stop.

Opening his eyes, the man's head was sent spinning, and the world blurred and darkened around the edges of his sight. Pain walked with needle-point fingers across his back and legs. Shuddering, the man planted his too-small-gloved hands into the snow.

The wolves approached the man slowly, their backs arched like cats, their long snouts quivering above sharp canine teeth as they let out long, menacing growls. Their eyes glowed with self-satisfaction as the man struggled to get on his feet. He let out a few raspy coughs. "Miss d'Auverge...?" he whispered, dazed.

A wolf walked up, growling louder, his face dangerously close to the coach-man.

The man blinked. "Cossette...?" he mumbled. The hot breath of the wolf made sweat trickle down his nose. "...Mister Or-"

The wolf jerked his head forward, his teeth clamping over the man's face- bottom jaw locked under the man's chin, plunging into his mouth, while the top jaw crushed his nose and tore away the bone above the man's teeth.

The man's screamed were eaten greedily by the three other wolves, who threw themsleves into their twitching prey, and tore away the man's flesh. Blood was slung up into the air as the wolves ripped limbs and organs free from the man;s sides, painting the pure white snow-flakes red as they desended from the sky; snowy trees were turned crimson, and the ground around them turned into a bloody hell.

...


	2. Chapter 2

My Little Pony

...

The young girl, who's name is Cossette, screamed as the carriage was rattled violently along the path, the horses fueled by fear and dispair. She braced her small form against the floor of the carriage, her hands flat against the seat and the side of the door. The girl wished the coach-man would control the beasts. She called his name loudly, demanding he pull over. But when silence met her words again and again, she wondered if he had been the loud thud on the roof awhile ago.

She knew she could do nothing to calm the horses, and jumping out into the snow would be like jumping out into the mouth of the wolves. So she closed her eyes tightly, folding her head into the lap of her red dress.

The horses turned a corner sharply, neither of them knowing where to go. But such a turn made the carriage they pulled turn, and it fell over on one side, throwing the passanger along with it. One of the horses was snapped back to the ground at the impact, and it broke three of its legs. Making loud, miserble whinnys, the horse on the ground tossed its head, kicking his left front leg in vain. The other horse stood still, unable to walk with the reigns tightly around its body. This horse stood with huge eyes of fright, its large heart racing under its sweaty chest.

Luckily for the girl, she had her hands over her hand when she was sent to the opposite side of the carriage, so the only damage she had was a large bruise on her arm, and a few cuts of her legs. She also had a long tear on the bottom of her dress. Tears filled the little girl's blue eyes, and she climbed up the seats and opened the door outward, then drug herself out with her hands.

Looking around, Cosste d'Auverge saw the wheel-and-hoof-tracks were already vanishing under a fresh, God-knitted blanket of snow. She put her hands around her face and called for her coach-man. But no answer came.

Turning towards the horses, she walked over and put her hand on the standing one, and gently un-reigned and un-hitched it. She ran a hand down its flank affectionately, then checked its sex. "You poor boy.." she cooed. The horse flinched under her touch, but did not try and bite her, so the girl climbed onto the horses' back and grabbed hold on its mane. She clucked softly, and the horse started walking briskly down the road.

Because they were leaving it behind, the horse on the ground let out a loud, pained neigh, the snow already burrying half of its body.

But the girl did not look back.

Cossette steared the horse down the path, eyes searching the forest for any more wolves. The wind stirred her hair like pasta in water, white flakes like dandruff slicking to each strand. Her cheeks were turned red as the chill sucked away her body-heat, her nose ran warm snot which itched as it turned solid against her skin.

The horse started limping half-way down the road, causing the run to be rough and painful on both ends. The girl made the horse stop and she walked behind it as she had seen stable-men do, and she picked up each foot in turn, clicking her tongue and saying softly, "Pick up!" From each foot she removed at least three rocks or pieces of wood. Though the horse probably felt better, the girl did not get back on because its feet had also began to bleed.

She took the horse by the reigns and lead the way, her eyes wide with fear for the unknown.

...


	3. Chapter 3

I Want One, Too!

...

What felt like an hour later, Cossette arrived at a clearing, where a massive castle stood surrounded by a tall iron fence. The castle was dark in color, and it seemed to have a tower or two. The steep roofs and the slanted walls, were all adorned with deadly spikes. From the distance, it looked like a castle straight from a child's story-book: The thing every child fears, and the thing every rich man wants.

The only difference, in Cossette's case, was that it was real.

She walked over to the gate uncertainly, knowing that she needed a place to go or she would freeze to death. The horse whickered softly, nudging the snowy earth with his foot.

"Maybe no one is at home." said the girl. "Or maybe some one is, but would not mind if I stay a while."

The horse said nothing.

The girl pushed the gate, testingly, and, to her surprise, it moved open with a long, metallic squeak. She walked through, leaving the horse outside. She stood and looked for a stable, but did not see one. With a sigh that was visable in the air, she turned back to the horse.

But the horse was gone.

She looked down one way, then the other, and spotted the horse walking away aimlessly, too restless to stand still. The girl started to go out the gate and retrieve the dumb horse, but a sudden growling made her freeze. Looking up ahead, she saw a pack of wolves- possibly the same ones- and she screamed and jumped back, grabbing the gate and slamming it shut just as the wolves ran over.

Cossette backed away and watched in regret as the wolves quickly got bored with gnawing on the iron bars and began to chase the horse. The wolves quickly took it down, since it practically gave up to begin with, and the sound of murder washed over the world.

Closing her eyes against the bloody death of the horse, the girl faced the castle. She opened her eyes again and began to run.

The spacious yard around the castle was touched with trees and random stone paths. Cossette chose the largest of paths- the driveway- and ran past gargoyles and statues of the dead as they appeared more frequently as she reached the castle steps.

Running up the steps, the girl slipped on the last one and was sent across the slick bitterness in a slide, her white gloves ripping as she tried to catch herself. Groaning, the girl stood up, her red dress turned black as it soaked up the moisture of the snow. She shivered more violently and began to walk. She pushed the massive double-doors opened on the left side, and fell on the entry-way foor.

Wincing, Cossette pushed herself up and stood, wavering as fever touched her body.

"Marchello..." she whispered numbly, her pale-pink lips turned blue after so much exposure to below-freezing weather. She hugged her dripping red dress against her goose-bumped-body. Looking around, she saw a large, red-velvet staircase which broke off into to sperate stairs at the top, which lead to two different hallways on the second floor. To her left was doors and open doorways- likewise on the other side.

With her curiosity still in hand, the girl looked up to see the dark, shadowy ceiling. It was then when she realized how dark the castle really was. Squinting now, she wondered where the candles were.

Cossette walked down the hallway, then moved towards the right as she heard something. It came from a certain room, where light also leaked from. She entered the room and discovered a large fireplace, where a grand chair sat in front- a welcoming sight that made the girl smile.

"Is anybody there?" the girl asked. "I'm sorry that I'm interupting, but I lost my carriage and I have reason to believe that my coach-man is dead." While speaking, she made her way around the chair, blue eyes peering around anxiously, seeking forgiveness.

But no one sat in the chair.

Pleasantly surprised, the girl climbed into the chair, her small body almost making the cahir seem like a bed. She leaned against one armrest, placing her hands under her cheek, and closed her eyes.

...


	4. Chapter 4

A Spirit Resides In All Things

...

Hidden in cupboards or creeping through the shadows of dim-lit hallways, are the servants and house-keepers of the castle. Once human, they were transformed the day their Master, a Prince Adam, had refused to let an ugly, witch-like woman into his castle...

The hour was late, and a storm wrecked havoc outside in the darkness. A knock on the door drew the Master from his studies, and he went to the door. When he opened it, he saw the ugly woman and was disgusted by her apperance.

When he demanded what she wanted, she asked that she be allowed to stay for the night, to be out of the rain. But Prince Adam refused.

They had watched from the stairs, from the hall, or while cleaning the floor, the servants watched and listened as the Prince delt with the intruder.

The old woman, when turned down, took out a single red rose, and offered it to the Master as payment for the night. But the Prince refused, more bluntly.

Holding up a finger, the old woman gave him one more chance to allow her to rest, warning him not to be decieved by looks, for beauty lives within.

But the Master turned her down and started to go back into his castle.

A spark a light drew his eyes back to the old woman, and what he saw made him fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness.

What stood before him now was a beautiful woman who had transformed herself with magic. To teach the man a lesson, she withdrew a wand and tapped his head, turning him into a hideous beast. This was a curse that contaminated the entire castle and all who dwelt within it, turning the castle from white, to black, and his servants from human, to objects.

The beautiful woman explained that he was doomed to live in that form unless he learned to love someone, and have that love returned.

But there was a deadline; she gave him the rose to prove it.

If he could not learn to love another before his twenty-first birthday- before the last pedal fell- it was over. He and the entire castle, would stay as they were. Forever.

Years had passed, and the objects within the castle moved like ghosts from room to room, while their Master stayed isolated in his shame, preffering to stand in his tower of the Westwing than engage with his fellow-prisoners.

The Prince had always been selfish and bitter. But who could blame him, now that he was unlovable? The spirit-filled objects sighed sadly; they, too, had lost hope that someone would come to the castle- a girl, no least.

But even if one did, who could ever love a beast?

It was one of these sad, hopeless days in winter, that two certain objects made their rounds through the castle, talking quietly. One was a clock, and the other was a three-holder- brass candle-stick.

Then the door opened, and they saw the girl known as Cossette fall into the doorway. After talking brieftly aboutt he situation, the two objects followed the girl into the living room, where the girl went to sleep in the Master's chair.

This upset the clock most of all, since the Prince would not be pleased to hear that some wet little girl had made herself comfortable in his own chair.

But the candle-stick was more welcoming. To him, she was their guest.

...


	5. Chapter 5

The (Boston) Tea-Party

...

When word got around that there was a girl in the castle, pots and cups, broomsticks and dining chairs- all of the objects were whispering excitedly: "Maybe she is the one?"

But when the Master heard of this, he jerked open the door of the Westwing and ran down the stairs on all fours, his red cape soaring like an ironic version of Superman. He stopped abruptly when he heard voices- two familiar ones, and one small, frail voice. A child, maybe?

Growling, the Beast walked into the room, slowly, silently, despite his heavy-set...

When Cossette awoke, she was met with a pair of large, glittery eyes of a tea-pot. To hold back a scream of alarm, the girl shoved a fist into her mouth, pressing her body tightly against the warm chair.

The tea-pot smiled apologetically and said, "Didn't mean t' frighten you, dear. I thought you might want a nice spot of tea, is all."

Cossette removed her hand slowly and stared in awe as the tea-pot moved aside on a rolling-cart, where two other tea cups peered up at her with happy eyes. The tea-pot poured herself into a chipped glass, which then hopped over to the girl.

"No tea!" objected a clock from the floor, rasing an angry handle in protest. "No tea!"

"Nonsense!" interupted the tea-pot. "Go ahead, love."

Cossette picked up the cup and sipped it. The chip caught on her top lip and cut it. Gasping, the girl moved the cup away from herself and nearly dropped it on the rolling-cart. Inwardly, the girl wondered if she should have listened to the clock.

"I'm sorry!" said the little cup.

"She's bleeding!" said the candle-stick, who made himself known by hopping over from the fireplace.

"Oh, are you all right?" asked the pot.

Cossette sucked her lip, eyes wide. "Yes, I'm all right..." she said slowly.

"Chip, apologize!" snapped the tea-pot.

"But I did!"

"Apologize again!"

Cossette glanced at the fire as it flickered and jerked. Then, with a sudden wind, it blew out. The objects gasped, then the cart wheeled away quickly, the tea cups rattling in speed. The clock and candle-stick turned with growing fear towards the doorway.

The girl herself said sitting, her eyes closing as a chill from the sudden dismiss of the fire coarsed over her body.

The Beast walked into the room, his shadow looming over the chair. He brought his massive head around and glared at the new intruder in his chair with his fangs bared, but he drew back suddenly, nearly falling to the ground, when he noticed that the girl was indeed, just a small child.

Growling, the Beast woke the girl, who looked up, then noticed the creature and gave a scream of fright.

"Why are you here!" demanded the Beast, his disapointment turning into anger as he fully realized the youthfulness of the girl.

But after her fright, the girl did not seem afraid. A gentle silence came over her, and she leaned over the chair, reaching to touch the Beast as if to confirm she wasn't dreaming.

With a snarl, the Beast grabbed the girl's arm and held her up into the air by it, frowning at her. "Answer me!" he comanded her.

"Ow!" she cried, pulling away now that she knew she was living a nightmare. "Ow- I... I got lost." said the girl earnestly. "I was afraid I would die if I did not find a place to stay!"

"You ...want a place to stay?" growled the Beast, lowering her to the floor.

"Yes, please!" the girl begged, her blue eyes glowing.

Eyes narrowing, the Beast shoved the girl under his arm and said, "I'll give you a place to stay!" and he ran out of the room, over-turning his chair.

"Oh, no!" cried the clock, poking his head out from behind a curtain.

"We have to saves the girl!" said the candle-stick-man, hopping across the room to follow

The clock waddled close behind. "Ooh, she should have never had any of that tea!" groaned the clock.

...


	6. Chapter 6

And A Good-Night Kiss, Too, Daddy?

...

Running on three legs, the Beast went into one of the towers, twisting obediantly as the stairway bent into itself. At the top of the stairs waited several prison cells with concrete doors with little barred-windows on them. The Beast picked one and jerked it open, throwing the girl inside before he slamed the door in her face.

Wincing, Cossette got off of the floor and crawled to the window and looked at the Beast, the fresh scraps and bruising on her body all ready beggining to ache.

"Why did you put me in here?" she asked innocently, her voice pained, full of sadness at the things she does not understand.

The Master- the spoiled Prince- looked over at the girl, his eyes large. At first, he felt regret. But it was the price she has to pay for-

"It is the price you have to pay for breaking into my castle!" he exclaimed coldly, bending down over the cell with an angry glare.

"But..." the girl looked at her hands, the torn, dirty white gloves that covered them, the dots of red that came from her raw flesh. "But...how long do I have to stay?"

"Forever!" snapped the Beast.

Her blonde hair falling over her face, Cossette looked up at the beast as if he had broken her heart, her eyes filling with tears.

"Un- un..." the Prince stammered. He cleared his throat, standing straighter. "Until you learn for lesson." he said. "And that's only when I say you do!" he added with more authority. He turned and walked down the stairs, leaving the girl in her cell.

"Wait!" cried the girl.

Beast paused and listened, frozen.

There was a long period of silence, where the Beast waited breathlessly for the girl to speak.

"...Why do you hide from me?" asked the girl softly. "I can see your shadow.." she added.

The Beast peeked around the corner, mouth half-open with disbelief, and he saw the girl watching him with a sad, lonely expression. Mad at himself, the Beast strolled over to the cell and looked at her. "What?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry I broke into your house." she said, looking down. "Please...can I go now?"

"I told you," said the Beast, almost annoyed. "You are staying in here until I say so."

The girl nodded, and kept her head down.

"Goodnight." the Beast said suddenly. The word had barely even left his lips before the girl said, "Thankyou."

Confused, the Beast didn't know what to say, so he left, stomping down the stairs in growing anger.

A candle-stick greeted him halway up, and the Beast made a "huff" of irretation and walked around it.

"Master, don't you think the girl would be more comfortable in...a room with a bed?" asked the candle-stick-man, hopping down quickly to match the Beast's steps.

The Beast let out a roar, blowing the fire out of the little stick-man.

"N-nevermind!" said the candle-stick hastily. "I was k-kidding!"

The Beast ignored him, merely swatting the clock out of the way when he waddled over and tried to speak.

Side-by-side, the two objects watched their Prince retreat into his room, like a child whose parents told him he could have no dessert.

Alone in her cell, Cossette folded her hands together and laid down on them. But she kept her eyes open as she cried silently to herself.

...


	7. Chapter 7

The Intervention

...

Back in the Westwing, the clock and the candle-stick-man had managed- after several minutes- to arrive at the door, and now were at work with trying to melt the Beast's heart. In heavy steps, the Beast paced from one end of the room to the other, growling whenever the clock or candle-stick suggested he "control his temper."

"She is just a little girl!" said the candle-stick, waving his two other candle-stands for emphasis. "She might have a family!"

"Really, Sire," said the clock in a bored tone. "It isnt like a child will accept you.."

The Beast stopped walking and glared at the clock, his eyes wild with rage. But the clock didn't notice; he was too busy waddling along the rug on the floor.

The clock continued, "Children her age are afraid of monsters like you. They have nightmares, and what not, you see..." The clock looked up at the Beast with a sly smile, saying, "So I say we drop all of this and let the girl go." His face fell with sick humiliation when he realized how pissed the Beast had become; the Prince's eyes were large, his breathing heavy, his claws tightening at his sides.

"This is MY castle, Clocksworth," snarled the Beast in a haunted voice, bending over to cast his shadow over the tiny time object. "And I will make her love me if that's what it takes!"

"Bu-but she's so young!" said the candle-stick.

Those words finally stuck to the Beast's stuborn heart. He was right. The girl was very young...Very..innocent.

With a loud roar, the Beast ran out of the room and lept down the stairs. At the bottom, he stopped short, nearly crushing the tea-pot who stared up at him with a frown.

"I hope you dont intend to frighten the poor girl with that angry face of yours!" she scolded him.

"I- uh-...What?" said the Prince, blinking.

"I'm just saying you need to show the child a little more friendliness than a-..." the tea-pot trailed off, thinking.

"Than a Beast?" said the Prince loudly. He growled and walked past her, heading swiftly to the tower where the prison was. Behind him, the tea-pot sighed, shaking her head.

The Beast took the stairs three at a time, his heart racing. He wanted the spell to be broken, sure, but he didn't want to scare the girl to death every time she saw him. But... she never really did seem scared. Only sad...

...


	8. Chapter 8

Childcare

...

Cossette woke up when she heard footsteps on the stairway, so she was sitting up by the time he entered the room. Pushing her hair behind one ear, she crawled to the door of the cell and looked at the Beast.

"Is it time for me to get out?" asked the girl quietly.

"Yes- I, I mean no." said the Beast. "I'm moving you to someplace...more comfortable." The Beast unlocked the cell-door and said, "Follow me."

The girl stood up and followed silently, smoothing down her red dress. She walked quickly behind the Beast as he deceanded down the stairs.

The candle-stick man was seen at the bottom step, waving urgently to get the Beast's attention.

With a short snarl, the Beast grabbed the candle and lit the way as he walked down the hallways. They passed by magestic statues of gargoyles, each one posed differently. At this, the Beast expected the girl to be frightened. But- glancing at her- she only looked at them with wide, admiring eyes.

She raced ahead of him suddenly, her hands flowing at her sides, fingers just grabbing the edge of the fabric to keep it from rising and exposing her skin.

Confused, the Beast's eyes grew large as he absorbed the girl's movements. In his hand, the candle-stick whispered, "She is quite a lively one, eh?"

"What are you doing?" demanded the Beast in a overly-dramatic tone.

The candle-stick sighed.

Cossette put her hand on one of the last gargoyles in the hallway, running her fingers on its arms. "This one...This one looks very much like you." she said, her blue eyes staring fixly into the emotionless holes of the gargoyle's eyes.

Growling, the Beast strided over and grabbed the girl by her arm. "I told you to follow me!" he said, pulling her behind him.

"Aa-oww!" the girl cried, flinching away. But he didn't let go, and she stopped struggling.

He walked this way awhile before letting her go- but only when arrived at the steps. Looking at her, the Beast caught the girl staring directly into his own eyes. "What?" he said quickly, annoyed and uncomfortable.

The girl merely blinked, then put her hand into the Beast's.

"Uhh, um..." the Beast felt himself blush.

"Just go with it!" whispered the candle-stick-man with a happy tone. "Make the girl feel welcomed!"

He went up a set of stairs, and up the left hallway, all in silence.

"Say something!" said the candle-stick suddenly, nudging the Beast with one of his candle-stands.

"Oh!" The Beast looked down at the girl, who stared ahead with a blank expression. Her blonde hair distracted him briefly as it rolled off of her shoulder and down her back, bouncing with each step. "I, uh...I hope you like it here." he said in a gentle tone.

The girl said nothing.

"There castle is your home, now," continued the Beast. "And you can go anywhere you like- except the Westwing."

"Is that your room?" asked Cossette, looking up at him innocently.

"Uh, no." said the Beast. "But it doesn't matter- you're forbidden to go there!" he ended the last sentance with a loud voice, anger lacing his speach.

Cossette looked down.

The Beast said nothing. When they arrived at what would be the girl's room, the Beast unlocked the door and opened it, saying, "This will be your room, now." He waited for the girl to go in, but she just stood there, staring at him.

"What is your name?" she asked suddenly.

Growling, he said, "You may address me as Beast." His jaw quivered, fangs sticking out over his lips.

"Thankyou, Beast..." the girl said. She turned and walked into her room.

The candle-stick lit the Beast's ear on fire. He yelped, then said quickly, "And- what- tell me your name!"

She turned and faced him, giving the Beast a delicate curtsy. "My name is Cossette d'Auverge. Thankyou for letting me stay in your house."

"I'm not letting you stay," growled the Beast, his voice rising with sudden anger. "you are my prisoner- I will never let you leave this place!" He pushed the girl all the way inside, grabbed the door, and slammed it shut. Then he remembered something.

"And you will join me for dinner tonight!" he shouted stiffly.

Throwing the candle-stick to the ground, he turned and ran down the hallway to his room, the entire castle seeming to shiver under his heated rage.

...


End file.
